Sunday, April 19, 2015

I am reviving my Books With Cookies And Milk! Here is a cute story I just enjoyed reading. Check it out :)Books
With Cookies And Milk

The Duckling Gets a
Cookie!?

Words and pictures
by Mo Willems

This is such a cute story!It says so much in so few words.Even the title makes you wonder whether the Duckling gets the cookie or
not.Gentle hint of kindness and good
manners is behind the Duckling and the cookie.It is a great story to read or to be read to!Nice work Mo Willems!

Chocolate
Chip, Raisin, Nut and Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened or room temperature

6 tablespoons shortening

1 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon salt

2 cups old-fashioned oats

¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips

¾ cup milk chocolate chips

½ cup chopped walnuts

½ cup raisins

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Preheat oven to 350º.Spray baking sheets with nonstick spray.Using an electric mixer, beat butter, shortening, eggs, sugars, vanilla
and cinnamon in large bowl until well mixed.Sift in flour, baking soda and salt; beat to blend.Mix in chocolate chips, nuts, oats and
raisins.

Drop 1 rounded tablespoonful of dough, for each
cookie onto baking sheet, spacing 1” apart.Keep this shape do not flatten.Bake cookies until lightly golden and soft to the touch, about 14-15
minutes.Cool cookies on sheets and move
to wire racks.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Trying to succeed as a writer and opening doors

I read anything I can find on how to be a writer, seeking
that magic phrase to guide me in the right direction.I realized that inspiration is all around me.It is in reading books, reading the newspaper
or just watching people around me. Having
curiosity is my best inspiration.Everyone
and everything has a background story waiting to come forward. Writing isn’t
about waiting for doors to open, it is about wondering what the story is behind
the door and creating that story and making others want to open it and see what
is happening behind it, too.

I carry a notebook
with me wherever I go, jotting descriptions and phrases for later use.One of my prompts that I use is an image of a
closed door, then one slightly ajar and finally a door that is swung wide
open.These “door” prompts are on index
cards and I move them along as I write.It seems to work for me.

My notebooks are filled with scribbles and sketches, stories
complete and incomplete.I may never get
published or never be read by millions, but I feel successful at my attempts
because I am doing what I love.I am
writing instead of just hoping to do it one day. I am always opening my own doors instead of
waiting for someone to open them for me.Careful world, I am opening doors and I don’t always knock first!

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Just to let you know why I have been among the missing - For the over past year
I have been taking care of my Stepmom who passed away peacefully last week.She was a lovely and kind woman.We will miss her greatly.Like me, she liked to write; her passion was
poetry.She also loved quotes.So, in her honor I am posting some quotes from
a post from a couple years ago on my blog.

"Laughter is one of the best medicines
around for relieving stress and for creating a more healthy spirit. And, one of
the greatest aspects is that it is totally free and can be done by
anyone."

- Byron Pulsifer

"Anybody can do
just about anything with himself that he really wants to and makes up his mind
to do. We are capable of greater things than we realize."

- Norman Vincent Peale

"Patience and
perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and
obstacles vanish."

- John Quincy Adams

"At times our own
light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has
cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within
us."

- Albert Schweitzer

"If the only
prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough."

Monday, January 20, 2014

I seem to have a habit of intruding on my characters. Instead of letting my character lead the story and having their dialogue and their actions tell the story, I seem to be narrating. It is really a hard habit to break. I must realize I cannot manipulate my characters, they should have a realism all their own Learning to let them show the reader what they are doing and where their part in the story will go. The more I train myself to stay focused and let my characters lead the way, the more readable my stories will be.

My quest for this week is to re-write, and re-write. Looking forward to a productive week. Wishing the same to you! I leave you with a few quotes that I have pinned up at my desk to keep me on track:

"You have to throw yourself away when you write." - Maxwell Perkins

"You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try." - Beverly Sills

Monday, January 13, 2014

I dipped my feet into 12x12!

Actually, my toes in 12x12! Time to take on the challenge. I do have some stories that I have been working on and several more ideas in my head waiting to get on paper. Writing Picture Books is a challenge in itself. Now, to add writing one a month into the scheme of things 'UPS' the challenge. There is no magic formula for writing. At least, not one that I have discovered. So, time to see if I can hold up to the challenge. I used to think that my goal was to be published, but I am looking at my goal in a new light. I now keep a picture of a child reading a book on my desk. That is my new focus, to one day see a child with my book, opened in their hand, excitedly reading away!

Sunday, January 5, 2014

I have been trying to
figure out how to get back on the blogging track after being away for a considerable
time.Sometimes life just gets ahead of you.As I sat down at my desk today, I had the
overwhelming feeling of not knowing where to start.That’s what happens when you have been away
from blogging for so long.I have been
having the feeling of discontent and disconnect so, I am jumping back in. J

Even though I haven't been on my blog, I have been writing and doing some illustrating. I have finished the pencil illustrations for one of my picture books and have completed six color illustrations. My next step will be to do the same for another picture book that I have finished writing. My plan is to bring them to the Spring Conference and hopefully have the opportunity to sit in on a critique. I am glad I am back! What have you been up to?

Monday, January 7, 2013

Am I making progress or not?

Mondays are hard! It is hard to pick yourself up sometimes and start the week, especially, when you receive a letter back on your submission and it wasn’t exactly the response you were hoping for, but it was a personal letter with some helpful criticism, for which I am extremely grateful.

The letter stated that she is not taking on many new projects at this time, however, she found my story very engaging; and couldn’t wait to get to the end! I was given a couple of suggestions to enhance my story. So, that is what I am going to do. I appreciate the advice and I am going to start working on it this week!

Thursday, January 3, 2013

﻿

A View Outside My Back Door!

I just wanted to share with you a picture my daughter took outside my back door! I love this time of year! You can find inspiration even by just looking out your door. Hope you are all having a wonderful week.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Happy New Year!

I have been away from my blog for so
long!The past few months have been
busy.My husband had a fall over the
summer and broke 4 ribs, punctured his lung and broke his elbow in several
places.He is now well on the mend and
back to his full daily schedule.I have
also been taking care of my step-mom, she is 88 years old and has had a tough
year and she, too, is doing better.So,
that in short, is why I have not been on my blog.

I love New Year’s Day.There's something exciting about turning over
the calendar page on January 1st. I'm always full of anticipation, wondering
what things the New Year will bring, and hoping it will be a good year.This day holds so much promise.It is like the first page of your newest
book.The page lies blank before you,
waiting for you to let it know where it is going.

I am not making any New Year’s
Resolutions this year.I am taking each
day and page as it comes.So, with this
New Year, I am offering to you a blank page. Where will it take you?What will you do with it?

Monday, June 11, 2012

Hi Everyone!

Happy Monday!

I finished another Picture book draft! Yay for me. This one I am actually going to try to illustrate. I'll keep you posted on how that goes.

How was your weekend? I hope you had the opportunity to get some writing done. I hope this week you hit the ground running (as far as writing goes)! Have a great start to your week! Here are a few quotes to get you going:

"A writer is, after all, only half his book. The other half is the reader and fromthe reader the writer learns." - P. L. Travers

"I write when I'm inspired, and I see to it that I'm inspired at nine o'clock every morning." - Peter De Vries

"The writer, when he is also an artist, is someone who admits what others don't dare reveal." - Elia Kazan

"The true function of a writer is to produce a masterpiece and no other task is of any consequence." - Cyril Connolly

My Picture

About Me

I am a writer of children's stories. I love to write picture books, middle grade and YA. I am a wife, mother (of 4 grown children) and grandmother (of one). I came up for the name of my blog when our grandson was born. My husband said that he would like to be called "Pop!" After hearing this, I decided that I would like to be called "Lolli!" After all, what child wouldn't want to go to "LolliPop's House!" Hence, that is where "Lollipop's Cottage" came from. Besides writing, some of my other interests are sewing/quilting, cooking, drawing and painting. For our daughter's wedding I made her dress, veil, bridesmaids' dresses and my outfit (there are pictures on the left side of my blog). It kept me busy for several months. I have done a bit of traveling. I even landed on a glacier in Alaska and went dogsledding. But, of all the places I have been, my favorite place to visit is inside my grandson's hug. I melt when he says. "Hi Lolli!"

Mom Said She Would Be There

This story is not a children's story but, rather a memoir, as well as, the first story that I wrote. It is dedicated to my Mom:

I called my Mom today, to tell her that we were going to have a baby. She was so excited, and couldn't wait to see me. When we went there for supper a few nights later, she couldn't stop talking about the baby. We told her that the baby was due in October. She said, "It's going to be a girl!" Mom was going to make a sweater set in every color for the baby but, she was going to make a pink sweater first.

In April, we celebrated Mom's forty-eighth birthday! Mom hadn't been feeling well lately. It was spring time and everything was supposed to be fresh and new but, over the next couple of weeks, we found out that my Mom had cancer. Although we were devastated, we were hopeful that she would beat it.

As a child Mom was struck with polio, and she was told that she would never be able to walk. She did, first with braces; and then on her own. She was also told that she would never be able to have children because she had a tipped womb, along with other complications. The doctors were wrong; she had five children.

After the operation for her cancer, she was told that they couldn't get it all but, the doctors would try treating it with chemotherapy. After everything she had been through we just knew she could beat this, too!

Mom kept on smiling and joking with lots of talk about the baby. She wanted to know what we were going to name HER! We told her that we hadn't decided on a girl's name or a boy's name, yet. She just laughed. I visited with her every week, and she always talked about the baby. Each time, I convinced myself that she looked a little better. I couldn't or wouldn't bring myself to see that she was weakening, even when she was leaning over a pail and emptying her stomach because the chemotherapy was making her sick. She never complained; she only said that she was sorry, and she hoped that she was not getting me upset! She just wanted to talk about how I was feeling, and making sure that I was taking care of myself, and the baby. On one of my visits, I noticed that she was crocheting something pink. I knew that it was for the baby. I teased her and asked, "What if it is a boy?" She only responded with "It will be a girl!"

May came and went with more treatment and medications. Each time I visited with her she would be crocheting with the pink yarn. I remember telling her that she would be better before the baby was here. She was so looking forward to it! She told me that no matter what, she would be there when SHE was born!

The month of June rushed in too quickly, and precious time was speeding by. Mom was rushed back into the hospital. Even when they were putting her in the ambulance, as we were all crying; she tried to make us laugh, by discreetly sticking up her middle fingers on both hands. Mom always thought this was funny and would do it just to make us laugh. She was in a lot of pain. Now, my visits consisted of just me talking about the baby, hoping she could hear. She was heavily medicated and couldn't respond. Somehow, I knew that she could hear me.

My Mom passed away on June 25th. She went peacefully in her sleep. 'A Lovely Woman' is the epitaph on her tombstone. She truly was!

The next couple of months passed, with birthing classes, a baby shower, and the setting up of the baby's room. With each event, I kept thinking that she said she wasn't going to be there when the baby came.

Finally October was here, and it was the rainiest night that I could remember having. We were on our way to the hospital, in the downpour. The baby was trying to make its appearance; in the delivery room the doctor said "It's a Girl!"

Mom, you were right all the time! After the doctor cut the cord and laid her on my chest, I looked down and SHE was holding her hands, the same way you always did; both middle fingers up on each hand! It was then that I realized that you were with me all the time!

Dad came in to see us the next day. He brought a package with him from you to me. Dad said that you wanted me to have it. When I opened it, inside was a beautiful pink sweater, hat and bootie set; they had the faint scent of your perfume on them.

The baby wore the sweater set home, all snug and warm, as if in a hug from you. Thank you, Mom! Watch out for her, as you always did for me. Sleep well with the angels. They are lucky to have you! Thank you, Mom for being there!

Writing

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly...Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain." - Author unknown.